Mother who gave birth to stillborn son while in Covid coma urges people to get vaccine

The mother of a baby who was stillborn while she was in the hospital with Covid-19 has urged people to get vaccinations to protect themselves from the disease.

Rachel, who did not want to use her name, was so unwell that she did not know she had given birth to her son at 24 weeks, and was in a coma for three and a half months.

She went to get her vaccine while she was pregnant, but was discouraged by the early guidance that advised expectant women not to have it.

She said she and her family were devastated by the death of her baby, and urged everyone to take up the offer of jabs.

She said that she initially went to get the vaccine, but that it was not advised to have it.

When I had the baby, I thought I would get the vaccine.

The government launched an advertising campaign this week to encourage expectant mothers to get the vaccine after data showed it to be safe in pregnant women.

The Department of Health and Social Care cited statistics from the UK Obstetrics and STDs system which showed that 96.3% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms between May and October were unvaccinated.

In December, the UK vaccines watchdog made pregnant women a priority group for vaccination after research showed they are vulnerable to more serious illness and pregnancy problems if they are exposed to Covid-19.

In November of last year, experts warned that they were worried about some groups shunning the jabs, including younger women, those in the most deprived areas and women from black and minority ethnic communities.

It was important that everyone had their vaccines, Rachel said after thanking staff at New Cross hospital's Integrated Critical Care unit.

The mother said that the vaccine could save months of agony if she had died.

She said she didn't know she had given birth. I was on drugs and they wanted to tell me when I wasn't going to die, but the obstetrician told me a few days later.

One minute you're having a baby born, you name the baby, and then you lose it.

I only saw him once. I would have been able to spend more time with him. I did not get to do that because of the circumstances.

She said that things have been difficult for her partner and son.

She said that they were all devastated by their loss. We were excited about this new life, but we were left without anything.